West End largely left out of noms

Only three commercial shows among Evening Standard nominees

West End productions accounted for just three of the 26 nominations in the shortlist for the Evening Standard Drama awards.

Although two of the bids for musical went to West End productions “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Sweeney Todd,” the only other nom in the commercial sector went to thesp Charles Edwards for his perf in the title role of short-lived stage version of Oscar magnet “The King’s Speech.”

Leading the nominees is the National Theater with eight noms for a range of productions including “This House, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” (transferring to the West End in a run that starts March 1), “Antigone” and “Swallows and Amazons,” which received a limited-season West End run at the Vaudeville Theater. Its production of “Collaborators” received two, for Simon Russell Beale in the actor category and John Hodge for promising playwright. The production has already won this year’s Olivier for best play.

The Young Vic notched five, including three for Carrie Cracknell’s SRO production of Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” which returns to the off-West End venue for three weeks in April. Its productions of “Wild Swans” and “Hamlet” picked up one apiece.

The Royal Court preem of Caryl Churchill’s “Love and Information” received noms for play and for its director James Macdonald. The org scored a further play bid for “Constellations” by Nick Payne (“If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet”). The West End transfer of “Constellations” is now previewing at the West End’s Duke of York’s theater.

Winners will be revealed at a ceremony emceed by James Corden (“One Man, Two Guvnors”) at London’s Savoy Hotel on Nov. 25.

And the nominees are:

New Play

“Constellations,” Nick Payne (Royal Court Upstairs)

“Love and Information,” Caryl Churchill (Royal Court Downstairs)

“This House,” James Graham (National, Cottesloe)

Director

Carrie Cracknell, “A Doll’s House”(Young Vic)

Nicholas Hytner, “Timon of Athens” (National, Olivier)

James Macdonald, “Love and Information”

Ian Rickson, “Hamlet” (Young Vic)

Actor

Simon Russell Beale, “Collaborators” (National’s Cottesloe)

Charles Edwards, “The King’s Speech” (Wyndham’s) and “This House”

Adrian Lester, “Red Velvet” (Tricycle)

Luke Treadaway, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, (National, Cottesloe)

Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress

Eileen Atkins, “All That Fall” (Jermyn Street)

Cate Blanchett, “Gross und Klein” (Barbican)

Hattie Morahan “A Doll’s House”

Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical

“Singin’ in the Rain” (Chichester Festival and Palace Theater)

“Swallows and Amazons” (Bristol Old Vic production presented by the National Theater in association with the Children’s Touring Partnership, Vaudeville Theater)